Half of U.S. Lives in Household Getting Benefits

[SmokingGun]

These people will invariably vote for whichever party will continue to give them the most welfare. Headline should read almost half.

http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2012/05/ ... -benefits/

49.1%: Percent of the population that lives in a household where at least one member received some type of government benefit in the first quarter of 2011.

Cutting government spending is no easy task, and it’s made more complicated by recent Census Bureau data showing that nearly half of the people in the U.S. live in a household that receives at least one government benefit, and many likely received more than one.

The 49.1% of the population in a household that gets benefits is up from 30% in the early 1980s and 44.4% as recently as the third quarter of 2008.

The increase in recent years is likely due in large part to the lingering effects of the recession. As of early 2011, 15% of people lived in a household that received food stamps, 26% had someone enrolled in Medicaid and 2% had a member receiving unemployment benefits. Families doubling up to save money or pool expenses also is likely leading to more multigenerational households. But even without the effects of the recession, there would be a larger reliance on government.

The Census data show that 16% of the population lives in a household where at least one member receives Social Security and 15% receive or live with someone who gets Medicare. There is likely a lot of overlap, since Social Security and Medicare tend to go hand in hand, but those percentages also are likely to increase as the Baby Boom generation ages.

With increased government spending comes the need to pay for it, and if taxes aren’t going to increase that means deficits. Nearly three-quarters of Americans blame the U.S. budget deficit on spending too much money on federal programs, according to a Gallup poll last year, but when the conversation turns to which programs to cut, the majorities are harder to find. For example, 56% of respondents oppose making significant changes to Social Security or Medicare.

The more people who receive benefits, the harder it’s going to be to make cuts, and it’s never popular to raise taxes. In some respects that argues for letting a combination of tax increases and spending cuts that is set to automatically hit in 2013 take effect. There’s just one problem: the Congressional Budget Office says it would sink the economy into recession.

Letting the 2013 provisions come into force would be like dealing with a weight problem by cutting off your right arm. It may not be popular, but a long-term, well-planned diet is the only solution.

[brotherplanet]

According to Obama supporters we're in a great recovery.

[Danzig in the Dark]

We are in the early stages of recovery, though there is a long way to go. I'll leave it up to DRJ to again post the facts and school you yet again. Why don't you just give up the "independent" act? No one believes it and you don't have the intellect to hide your obvious Republican bias.

[brotherplanet]

Yes, I should criticize our Republican president instead along with our Republican president's blind supporters... I think I'll call the White House to get the guy's name... Oh, wait...


Oh, and did you really write school you? People still write like that? I haven't seen that in years. Okay, wait... what are the rules..? Okay, you mention me in completely non-related threads where I haven't even posted and joey will follow me around sludge so... Okay... "I OWN YOU!"

Okay... Okay... Now it's your turn.

[DEATH ROW JOE]

According to Obama supporters we're in a great recovery.

There you go again. Has anyone actually said there is a "great recovery?" There is a recovery. Post a link to anyone using the word "great" to describe the recovery or pick up your shit and leave this fucking board ASAP.

I have not only said the recovery was relatively weak, I explained why. You only have to compare the strong recovery from the last severe recession in 81-82 to the current recovery.

Once again:

1) residential real estate investment is a drag on growth during the current recovery and gave a huge boost to growth in 81-82

2) the public sector expanded in 83 and 84 and has stagnated or contracted in 2010-11 (that's public investment and consumption, not transfer payments which are the subject of this thread)

govt spending = investment + consumption + transfer payments

ex:
investment = building a school
consumption = hiring a teacher
transfer payments = food stamps

3) household net worth crashed in the last recession and increased during the 81-82 recession. That puts a huge drag on demand. Notice consumption is much weaker during the current recovery.

So it really comes down to a recovery from a housing bubble collapse. Trillions dollars in household wealth vanished and there is nothing to replace the lost demand. Add in cutting govt investment and consumption versus increasing govt investment and consumption and you have the whole story. Not very complex but you're stupid so it's too complex for you.

Strong Recovery


Weak Recovery

[Danzig in the Dark]

You seem to have forgotten the origins of our current economic situation and have no comment on those who would perpetuate the same foolishness even now and on into the future. You are a self-loathing Republican and may have actually voted for Obama out of displaced anger, blaming mere men like Bush and McCain for the meltdown instead of the flawed Republican policies they espouse and you still believe in, as opposed to a considered examination of the President's beliefs and policies.

Yes, I did say 'school'. I believe that if your cherished assumptions are shown to be bullshit often enough that maybe you will eventually learn something.

P.S. Welcome to summer school, brotherplanet.

[brotherplanet]

I didn't forget jack shit. Bush and the Republicans did a wonderful job of pulling the plug on the drain so we could go spiraling down, but Obama has been president for almost four years now.

He deserves to be held accountable for what he's done or hasn't done as president.

The fact that someone can dislike our system and not firmly pick a side seems to be something you can't wrap your head around.

Okay... maybe shit like this will help...

[Danzig in the Dark]

The fact that someone can dislike our system and not firmly pick a side seems to be something you can't wrap your head around.

The fact that you actually seem to think you have not picked a side is what mystifies me.

[brotherplanet]

You mean by criticizing the current President?

So was I a liberal Democrat when I spoke out against Bush?

Was I a liberal when I made fun of Bush's endorsement of Romeny?


Well, since Obama can do no wrong, and to criticize him must mean someone has picked the other side, I suggest you get deprogrammed. This might help you get started...

Getting Help

[Luminiferous]

So was I a liberal Democrat when I spoke out against Bush?

Was this done under a previous name?

[brotherplanet]

So was I a liberal Democrat when I spoke out against Bush?

Was this done under a previous name?

I don't know. Which one of the five names I've heard do you think I am?

No, it was done on a political board.

[Drunk Kennedy]

i think you are angry again.

how was/is singapour?

[Luminiferous]

No, it was done on a political board.

So it was on ANOTHER board you claim you bagged on Bush... Got it.

[MitziDupree]

I think it's utter bullshit to categorize Social Security households as receiving a government "benefit."

That's our money, that came out of our paychecks. The fact that the government doles it out in no way puts it on par with welfare, food stamps, etc.

Removing this group would no doubt drastically change this designed-to-be-incendiary number.

[Luminiferous]

i think you are angry again.

how was/is singapour?

AA was a far left winger..

[Danzig in the Dark]

You mean by criticizing the current President?

So was I a liberal Democrat when I spoke out against Bush?

Was I a liberal when I made fun of Bush's endorsement of Romeny?


Well, since Obama can do no wrong, and to criticize him must mean someone has picked the other side, I suggest you get deprogrammed. This might help you get started...

Getting Help

For a fellow with claims to a balanced viewpoint, you do lean heavy to one side. No one claims it is wrong to criticize the president, we just can't help noticing it is all you do.

[brotherplanet]

Well, like I said, it's because a Dem happens to be sitting in the White House (and for the first two years I was still an Obama supporter).

Also, did you notice I haven't been going after the Democratic party?

This is why I make fun of Obama supporters. They lose sight of everything else if their cult leader is criticized.

[Danzig in the Dark]

What you do is make ignorant and ill-informed posts and when someone, like DRJ for example, calls you out and backs it up with facts you get pissy and butthurt and play the "Obama supporter" card. Try doing some research before you pontificate instead of blaming those who expose your fallacies and you won't come off as an assclown so often.

[Luminiferous]

This is why I make fun of Obama supporters. They lose sight of everything else if their cult leader is criticized.

This is why I make fun of people who claim to be so-called independents, when you rely on the Republitard throwback of Obama being a "cult leader" and the anyone who chooses to see the facts that he has done some good and stopped the country from temporarily completely going down the toilet as some sort of mindless followers..

I've been voting independent all of my life and I know that compared to having McCain in there, this country could be in a lot worse shape..
(as an Independent meaning politicians hate me. They have to convince me they're the right person for the job and not "I'm not as bad as the other guy!" Oh and since 1980 I've voted Demtard twice in my life, 3rd party twice and Reptard the rest of the time )


And you claim you're only picking at Obama administration because he's in the White House now, insinuating you'd do the exact same thing if McCain were in there, but yet you seem to have a problem when someone points out you're not as informed as you believe and you resort to labeling people Obama supporters to cop out of it..